The Only Exception
by Ms. Issippi
Summary: Maka didn't think love would ever work for her before. But she was finally on her way to believing. One-shot, songfic. Soul/Maka.


**A/N: By popular demand from a DeviantArt poll, here's The Only Exception!**

**This amazing song ****(The Only Exception) ****was written and performed by **_**Paramore**_**.**

**I do not own Soul Eater or The Only Exception.**

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What was there to say about memories? Maka didn't know for sure.

It was one of those lazy days, just a typical weekend where you didn't want to leave bed. You just wanted to lie down and think. Where thoughts just came and passed by through your head. You'd lie down and stare at your ceiling for hours at a time. Just thinking. Waiting. Watching. Rinse and repeat.

Maka _wanted_ to think. But when you're lying on an uncomfortable, unfamiliar couch in your normal clothes with your back pressed up against a snoring boy, it isn't easy. And what if he woke up? He wouldn't let her think. He'd expect her to get up and interact with him.

His name was Soul. He was no one special- a cool boy who could play piano (though he didn't like it) with white hair and sharp teeth.

They were friends.

She had been crashing at his house and they had fallen asleep watching a movie. He was snoring as loud as ever- obviously deep in sleep. Maka took this to her advantage. She needed the time to think, so she decided to leave while he slept. He wouldn't mind. He'd probably be glad she was gone. He'd call up another girl and he'd hang out with her. Just like every other man on the planet.

Maybe he just wasn't right for her.

She got up quietly and cautiously, sitting on the floor in front of the coffee table. She grabbed a piece of paper he had there and ripped a little bit off of it. Grabbing a pencil from the floor, where one had rolled off to, she quickly scribbled a note to him.

_I'm sorry._

With that, she left.

_When I was younger, I saw_

_My daddy cry_

_And curse at the wind._

_He broke his own heart, and I watched_

_As he tried to reassemble it._

She decided to just return home to her father. He'd welcome her, of course. No matter how over-protective and annoying he could be, deep down, she craved for his affection. And without her, Spirit probably wouldn't be sane. He needed his daughter.

Closing the door behind her, she was greeted by warm words from her father. Smiling slightly, she waved to him. Something caught her eye from the shelves by the door; a photo falling from the frame, gently landing at her feet. She picked it up and examined it, and upon realizing what it was, she quickly hugged her father in an attempt to hide it behind his back.

Rushing to her room, she sat on her bed and took in every detail of the photograph. It was taken a long time ago, before she was born.

It was her mother and father, both smiling with his arm wrapped over her shoulders. They looked so happy and loving.

She smiled and looked down at the photograph.

But bad memories also came with the sight of them happy and together.

_And my momma swore_

_That she would_

_Never let herself forget._

What she remembered of that horrible day many years ago was heart-wrenching. Kami and Spirit were in their room, arguing. Kami was talking about him cheating and sleeping with other women, and he was trying desperately to apologize to her. They were both crying; Spirit, with tears of desperation, and Kami, with tears of frustration. They didn't know that she was watching. They both thought she was watching TV in the living room, like a good 9 year old girl should be doing. But she had followed her mother.

Spirit cursed under his breath at how fool-hardy he was, and Kami was saying how she; or Maka, for that matter, couldn't go on like this. If she wasn't able to trust her husband, he wasn't worth being with anymore.

After that, Kami left for a long time. She and Spirit weren't divorced, but weren't far from it. Upon questioning from her daughter, Kami simply replied that she needed a vacation from Spirit. Time to forgive. But she swore that she'd never forget.

Things didn't get much better after Kami's "vacation".

Spirit tried to reassemble his heart by spending time with even more women. He though it was the only way. Needless to say, Kami and Maka didn't like that.

Maka shuttered and tried to get the memory out of her head.

They had divorced a month ago. The last page in the book of their marriage was filled.

Memories are nice, but that's all they are.

_And that was the day that I promised_

_I'd never sing of love_

_If it does not exist._

She didn't need love. After seeing the way both her parents ended up; sad and alone, she decided that she didn't want or need love.

If that was how love always was, then she didn't want to take part in it.

She hung the photo up on her mirror and glanced at it. Although it was true that her parents' marriage ended horribly, she had to admit that in the photo, they looked like the happiest two people on the face of the Earth.

She wanted to be happy, too.

But she shook her head, clearing the thought.

It's foolish to give out your love to just anyone if you want to be happy. If you really wanted to be happy, then you should save your love for someone who deserves it.

But no one did.

Her heart was locked away safely and securely. She'd never give it away. Not if love didn't exist.

She decided that she'd rather be alone her whole life rather than give her heart to the wrong person. She wouldn't end up like her parents.

_But darling,_

_You are the only exception._

_You are the only exception._

_You are the only exception._

_You are the only exception._

There was a little voice in Maka's head, one that always spoke reasonable thoughts. But that tiny voice was almost always drowned out by an even louder voice screaming irrational, yet tempting thoughts.

The loud voice screamed that all men were liars and they were terrible. It told her to never fall in love. Ever.

But the little voice is more rational.

It tells Maka that while her own father was a liar and unfaithful, that not all men are like that. And while she has every right to think what she wants, she shouldn't be so judgmental.

Maybe there was an exception out there somewhere.

Maka decides to listen to the louder voice.

_Maybe I know somewhere_

_Deep in my soul,_

_That love never lasts._

Maka had given love plenty of tries before.

And what was there to say about men?

That they were all the same?

Yep. That just about sums it up.

Maka remembered it crystal clear, like it was yesterday. While in reality, it had only been a year or two ago, the memories of all those countless dates stuck in her head. She had been such a fool to think that there was a guy out there who actually cared about her. But no.

What did a guy want, exactly? That was simple, and Maka knew the answer.

Men wanted to make you cry.

They wanted to feed off your emotions like vampires and make you think they cared about you. They could do this to so many girls at once, without the others having any slight hint or clue what was going on.

And right when you thought that it was love, when you thought that he was "the one", he'd break your heart.

He didn't care.

None of them do. Ever.

And Maka had been a victim to this too many times.

_And we've got to find other ways_

_To make it alone_

_Or keep a straight face._

About a year or two in the past, Maka decided that she wanted to be loved. That if she wanted to be happy, she'd need to find a guy who cared about her.

So she arranged some dates. She swore there'd only be one or two, and that she wouldn't get too wrapped up in finding her soul mate.

But one date turned into two. Two dates turned into three. And three dates turned into twelve more.

And Maka had noticed something significantly familiar about every guy that she dated.

They didn't care about her. They were all the same. Exact replicas of the last. They only wanted to talk about themselves, to buff themselves up and make them look better.

Maybe Maka didn't fully understand the concept of love. Maybe that's how love actually worked, with men trying to lie to the women.

But she ran out on the last date. She couldn't take it anymore.

_And I've always lived like this,_

_Keeping a comfortable distance._

_And up until now _

_I had sworn to myself that I'm content_

_With loneliness._

_Because none of it was ever worth the risk._

That's just the way Maka's life was. She was destined to be lonely her whole life.

But was love really worth the risk? She didn't think it was.

Of course, as she walked down the street, trying to clear her head of all these love-less memories, another one decided to pop into her head.

It was at her father's friend's wedding only recently. All the bride's maids were dressed in fancy, lacey dresses, trying to get noticed by the groom's friends. And it was working, of course, since all guys cared about were looks, sex and money.

She was dressed in a slightly casual dress. It was black, unlike everyone else's white outfits. And when the bride walked down the aisle to greet her groom, Maka couldn't stand it anymore.

She ran out.

No one came looking for her. Not until the reception was over.

That's when she came to the conclusion that love _did _exist, just not for her. She was doomed to be a bitter, unlikeable loner for the rest of her life.

_But you are the only exception_

_You are the only exception_

_You are the only exception_

_You are the only exception._

In the real world, and not in her memories, Maka sat at a park bench. She thought she may go back to Soul's house, since he probably worried about her.

Soul was a bit strange. He was… well, different than other guys. He seemed rough on the outside, but once you got to know him, he really was a pretty caring guy. They had been best friends for a very long time. She had never really seen any problems with him, as she did with other men.

Maka found herself only thinking about Soul. He invaded her thoughts. Even if she tried to think about something else, Soul was incorporated with it.

Maka didn't know how to feel.

_I've got a tight grip on reality but I can't_

_Let go of what's in front of me here._

_I know you're leaving in the morning when you wake up,_

_Leave me with some kind of proof it's not a dream…_

Maka remembered a concert she went to not even a month ago. She remembered enjoying the performance from her favorite band, jumping up and down along with the rest of the crowd. She was full of a smile, and she felt as if nothing would make her happier at that moment.

But the second she saw him walk in, that thought was proven false.

They smiled at each other, and she felt her soul explode with happiness. She had never been more happy to see him anywhere.

But the more Maka thought, the more he came into her memories.

When she was going date crazy, he was there. He was the only one who knew her like an open book. They joked all night and she had never felt more comfortable with anyone else sitting at that restaurant. Their date lasted longer than any other, and it was certainly more enjoyable than any of the others.

He was at the wedding as well.

He was the one who invited her to the party after the reception was over. After she said she didn't want to go, he led her into the church hall where they sat and chatted for a while. She told him everything that was bothering her, and he listened. He even gave helpful advice.

Maka was never so comfortable with anyone like she was with him.

She remembered all of the fun times they had just hanging out at her apartment. He would come over out of the blue and she'd be happy to see him. They stayed up until the early hours of the morning doing absolutely nothing, but they would still have an unforgettable time.

It then dawned on Maka that she wanted to be with no other person than him.

_You are the only exception._

_You are the only exception._

_You are the only exception._

_You are the only exception._

_You are the only exception._

_You are the only exception._

_You are the only exception._

_Well you are the only exception…_

Maka stood and bolted in the direction of Soul's apartment as fast as she could.

With her newfound realization of the one she truly loved, everything became brighter. She found herself smiling at the thought of just going to see him again.

Nearly knocking into everyone who passed by, even including her father, she reached Soul's apartment in no time, climbing the stairs with no difficulty and opening his door as quietly as she could.

_And I'm on my way to believing. _

Glad to see that he was still asleep, she closed the door behind her and quickly walked as quietly as she could over to the couch where he was sleeping.

She grabbed the note she had written to him before off of the table and crumpled it, stuffing it into the pocket of her sweatshirt.

She smiled as she settled herself comfortably next to him, breathing in his familiar and soothing scent. She closed her eyes, a smile still clearly visible on her face.

Maka didn't think love was ever going to work for her before.

But she was finally on her way to believing.

_Oh, and I'm on my way to believing._

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